Harry made his way through the maze of empty corridors with ease. His footsteps muffled but quick—no spell or charms needed. A result of the countless sneaking he had done throughout his younger years, back when the weight of the Wizarding World was on his shoulders.
He discovered this little hideaway when he was staying late one night, trying to finish some paperwork during his early years as a Trainee Auror. A janitor who was doing his nightly rounds of cleaning spotted him hunched over his desk, asked him if he wanted to take a break and brought him down here.
There's something about tight, closed spaces that he found comforting. Hermione told him it's because it reminded him of simpler times back when he was still sleeping in the Dursley's cupboard under the stairs and wasn't aware of his magical heritage yet. Harry had reconnected with his aunt Petunia after the war, but his uncle and cousin wanted nothing to do him—something that should've bothered him but oddly enough, it didn't. Not in the slightest bit
There weren't many people around in this small department but the ones that were there never gawked at Harry nor gave him a suspicious look—only nodded their heads in greeting. It made him feel like a normal person, just like another average wizard seeking solace from the hustle and bustle up above. Harry had been a frequent visitor here ever since he passed the Auror training and started working for the Ministry. The Ministry he helped rebuilt from the ashes but now—because of personal reasons—he is trying to tear down.
Merlin knows how far he would go to protect Hermione.
Lucius had been jealous of Harry once, during the early years of the Malfoys' marriage. Harry would never forget that night Hermione stormed through Grimmauld Place, face red with indignation. She nearly tore a hole through his carpet as she relentlessly paced back and forth shouting obscenities through the air. It was an interesting sight since Walburga Black's portrait was just behind her screaming insults to his loud visitor as well.
Hours later, Lucius stormed through the place fully expecting to catch Harry and her in flagrante delicto but all Lucius arrived to were two miserable-looking adults eating through a tub of ice cream. Hermione went home with her husband eventually but not before Lucius got an earful from Harry first.
An owl that looked a lot like Hedwig was waiting in his office the following day. It was as close to an apology he would get from a man like Lucius.
As much as Lucius claimed to know Hermione, he would never understand the bond that Harry shared with her. It was much stronger but more grounded than the bond Harry had formed with Ron. With Ron, Harry found a good friend, and as much as he loved the Weasleys, they never could understand what he went through but with Hermione, he found more than an understanding. He found a family—something he'd wanted all his life.
He turned a corner and finally saw the lift. The finish line, he thought. Easy peasy.
"Oy Harry!"
Shit. Harry froze midstep as soon as he heard his name being called. He was hoping no one would see him—not until he got back into the relative safety of his cubicle. His left hand subconsciously went to the front pocket of his robes, feeling the small bump there.
"I've been looking for you!" Dean Thomas said as he reached him. He gave Harry a quick sniff. "Were you smoking again in the Cleanup Department?"
When he didn't answer, Dean took it as a sign of confirmation. "Don't worry, I won't tell Ginny."
Harry breathed a sigh of relief but for a different reason. Ginny knew about his smoking habit and didn't mind at all—something Dean didn't need to know. "Thanks, mate."
"Don't worry about it," Dean nodded. "I don't know why you have to go there just to smoke. All the garbage in there makes me want to vomit."
"It's quiet there," Harry shrugged.
"Well, you need to get back up ASAP," Dean pointed upwards. "Robards has been looking for you and you don't want him to be angry at you—especially now."
"I know," Harry ran a hand through his hair. They made their way over to the lift and pushed the button for level 2. "How the hell these packages kept slipping in?"
"I don't know. It's getting bloody annoying though," Dean scratched the back of his head. "We have to bunk space with those crazy blokes from Misuse of Muggle Artefacts. You're lucky your cubicle is on the other end and didn't get coated with that green sticky thing."
The lift lurched to a stop and they both stepped off. Dean waved Harry goodbye and proceeded to walk to his temporary desk while Harry made a brief stop to his cubicle first.
Once there, he quickly pulled out a parchment and scribbled a hasty note. He looked around discreetly to make sure no one was looking before pulling out the small package in his pocket. Harry placed it in a small envelope and together with the note, he summoned Hedwig II and proceeded to instruct the owl.
"Send this to Lucius Malfoy only. Make sure he's completely alone when you give it to him."
Hermione walked through the cobbled streets of Muggle London, her heels clicking in a staccato rhythm. She was about to meet Susan Bones in a Muggle café fifteen minutes away from her office. Hermione thought it would be best to discuss it outside where they are away from curious ears and prying eyes.
She arrived early and chose the most secluded table on the corner. A waitress approached her and Hermione ordered a pot of tea and asked for an extra cup saying she's expecting company. The waitress nodded and soon returned with her orders. As soon as she was alone, Hermione muttered a stasis charm over the pot to prevent it from cooling down as she waited for the Hufflepuff witch to arrive.
Susan Bones arrived three minutes early than the agreed time and Hermione was pleased by her punctuality. She gestured for her to take a seat and poured her a cup of tea.
"Thank you for agreeing to see me today."
"It's an honor," Susan smiled as she sat down and took the cup. "I assume we're going to discuss the education bill?"
Hermione can't help the mischievous smile to grace her features. "No. That thing's been handled for now."
"Then what are we meeting for today?"
She tapped a finger on her chin for effect. "I wonder if you're interested in being the next Senior Undersecretary."
"Senior Undersecretary?" Susan's eyes went wide at the offer.
Hermione nodded as she took a sip of her tea. "That's right."
Susan Bones looked entirely perplexed, clearly not expecting this meeting to be about this. She was wholly expecting Hermione to consult with her about the Education Bill with Elphias Doge since she was a Hogwarts governor for a time. "But Shacklebolt just nominated McLaggen."
"It's a long road to confirmation," Hermione shrugged appearing nonchalant.
"So what are we talking about here?"
"I'm just asking a simple question—does the job interest you?"
"Wouldn't you want it for yourself?" Susan knew about the promise—hell everyone who worked in the Ministry knew about it and how Kingsley threw her away for someone like McLaggen. But she needed to know the truth. She wasn't dumb. There was clearly a game going on here but she needed to know the stakes before diving headfirst into the chaos.
"I'm not going to lie to you, Miss Bones. I did want it," Hermione admitted.
"And now you don't?" Susan said surprised by her honesty. She expected Hermione to give her some cryptic answer.
"Not anymore," Hermione agreed. "Shacklebolt passing me over made me realize how much more at home I felt at the DMLE and not to mention the work I could achieve in that office."
"But still," Susan countered. "I don't understand why Kingsley would do that to you. You are more than qualified for the job—hell you're even more qualified for the Junior Minister position!"
The statement was patronizing and unnecessary. Hermione's not some young upstart looking for scraps of validation from her peers. She knew her qualifications well enough. Still, she didn't let her irritation show.
"Well, let's see. I'm young, a woman, and a Muggleborn—things that don't have a place in a patriarchal society that still clings to their old beliefs and seem even more determined to see a return to the old way of doing things than they were before."
"Surely Kingsley is above those things?" Susan asked uncertainly.
"What do you think?" Hermione paused, letting it sink in.
Susan had to admit that Hermione has a point. Voldemort might be gone but that doesn't mean the prejudiced that caused a huge rift in the Wizarding World also went with him. Years ago, she would've defended Kingsley Shacklebolt but everything he did since he was twice elected as Minister was the opposite of everything they've fought for.
A shadow passed over her features but she remained silent, urging Hermione to continue. "The Ministry is comprised of old Pureblood wizards like Kingsley Shacklebolt, Tiberius Ogden, and Corban Yaxley who still embraced the old ways. You can't change a belief system that's old as Merlin himself. Someone once told me that if you want to build a better home, first you must demolish the old one."
Susan Bones leaned back into her chair. "Isn't Mr. Malfoy part of the system you want to destroy?"
"My husband is different. This may sound biased considering I'm married to him but it's the truth," Hermione smiled. "I'm not saying he's a good man underneath all the arrogant persona because he is what he shows to the public but I've eventually come to understand him through the years. My husband is a Pureblood aristocrat but he's not above progressive change. Lucius is the exception, Miss Bones."
"Cormac McLaggen is the rule that we need to demolish. I want him gone because he's a pretty face with an empty skull. The Ministry needs a Senior Undersecretary I can work with. Somebody brilliant. Somebody tough. Somebody who isn't afraid to stand up to Shacklebolt when he's wrong. We need you, Miss Bones."
Hermione had laid some of her cards out to her—something Lucius would never do unless the situation called for it but she'd hazard a guess that Susan Bones was someone who appreciated a little bit of truth. The only question now was if she was ambitious enough to take what is offered.
Hermione got her answer in the form of a knowing smile from the witch across her.
"Let's assume I'm interested," Susan Bones began but was cut off when Hermione shook her head. She refilled her cup as she stared resolutely into the former Hufflepuff wtich's eyes.
"I don't want to assume—I want to know."
Rita Skeeter made the long trek from the imposing gate to the front porch of the equally imposing Manor. She'd started to regret wearing this impossibly high heels. If it were any other witch or wizard, she wouldn't have bothered with her outfit but this was the Malfoy patriarch we're talking about. She didn't want to give him any more reason to sneer down at her.
She once tried to enter the property when Voldemort took up residence in his home. It was a huge risk but her curiosity overshadowed any fear she felt. Although, to her dismay, she never got passed the wards even in her animagus form. But today, the gates swung open for her automatically as soon as she touched the cold iron bars like she owned the place. Rita Skeeter felt such satisfaction from it.
The huge oak double doors opened after three polite knocks and she glanced down to see a house-elf standing by the side. Rita noted that it was not wearing tattered rags as most elves did but a nice, clean pillowcase instead.
"Master is waiting in the study," the elf said. "Follow me."
She gave her coat to the elf who vanished it with a snap of its bony fingers and ushered her through the house.
The house, if you could call it that, felt more like a museum with countless paintings and sculptures hanging across the walls. A huge spiral staircase stood in the middle of the entrance hall with a massive yet beautiful chandelier floating above it. Ornate baseboards and crown moldings lined up the wall bottom and ceiling trim. She could get lost in here trying to navigate by herself and may end up somewhere she shouldn't be.
They stopped in front of a tall double door with intricate carvings and the house-elf knocked first before announcing her presence. The doors opened slightly, just enough to let her in and closed on its own as soon as she stepped inside.
The room looked just like the hallways of the Manor except there was only a single unmoving painting hanging on the other end of the room where a side table stood underneath it. The rest of the walls were lined with bookshelves.
"Good afternoon, Miss Skeeter," the Lord of the Manor greeted her coolly. "Please have a seat."
She suddenly felt a trickle of fear at the imposing sight of Lucius Malfoy sitting behind his desk. This was different than their interaction in his office. This was his home turf. Rita Skeeter swallowed thickly before returning the greeting.
"Good afternoon, Mister Malfoy," she placed her handbag beside her on the settee and proceeded to pull out her notebook and dicta-quill. It floated just above her shoulder and was at standstill, waiting patiently for her to begin. "Shall we get started?"
Lucius Malfoy raised a hand. "First things first, Miss Skeeter. Just before you left my office the other week, what were we discussing?"
"The Minister's legislative agenda," she replied. The memory of their encounter still fresh from her mind.
"Specifically?"
"Education," she perked up. "Was I right?"
"Do the math, Miss Skeeter," Lucius impatiently drawled.
Rita Skeeter resisted the urge to huff at the wizard's haughtiness and focused her mind instead on trying to fit all the pieces of their previous conversation. "He needs a bill..."
"Sponsored by?"
"Somebody with legitimacy," she thought for a moment, then shook her head in disbelief. "But the person with the most experience is—"
"Elphias Doge," Lucius finished for her.
"But he's an old-fashioned tax and spend stuck-up. Shacklebolt was more progressive than him."
"Exactly, which is why Shacklebolt needs my wife."
"To steer the bill to the center," Lucius only nodded in response. "I don't think Doge will talk to me. He's still salty about that book I published years ago about Albus Dumbledore. Maybe somebody in his office, if I butter them up. All I need is a few crumbs."
She heard a drawer opening and saw Lucius Malfoy stood. A bulky envelope was being levitated as he walked towards the side table where she now noticed a decanter of firewhiskey sat. With a flick of his wrist, the envelope was then unceremoniously dropped into her lap.
"How about a five-course dinner?" he said as he poured himself a glass.
Rita peeked inside the envelope and nearly gasped. "Is this what I think it is?" It was the education bill or at least a shredded draft of it. How in Circe's tits did he manage to get his hands on it?
She looked up to see Lucius Malfoy admiring the unmoving painting in front of him.
"Mr. Malfoy, we're in a very gray area, ethically, legally, which I'm totally okay with—"
"I just love this painting, don't you? My wife gave it to me on my fiftieth birthday," he interrupted her.
Rita Skeeter shifted her eyes to the unmoving painting. It was just two boys rowing on a small boat. There wasn't really anything extraordinary about it but she didn't dare voice it out loud.
Lucius Malfoy then turned around and fixed her with a cold dead stare. She would've cowered and withered if she wasn't used to a lot of people giving it but still, it was different when Lucius Malfoy did it. The fear she felt earlier manifested tenfold.
"We're in the same boat now, Miss Skeeter. Take care not to tip it over. If you do, I can only save one of us from drowning."